User Guides Tutorial : Create Simple/Funky Wallpaper with Gimp.

Tutorial: Create Simple/Funky Wallpaper using Gimp
​
Recently I released a few wallpapers for Linux Mint and lots of people loved the simplistic design .. Though the techniques was very easy still I got lots of request to create a detailed tutorial on How To create Simple/Funky wallpaper. Since I am a Gimp user, this tutorial will be based on Gimp.. So here I am again writing my second wallpaper tutorial for Gimp..

In this tutorial we will focus to create this type of wallpaper :-

Preview.png

​
So lets get started...

Step 1 : We will start by creating a new image of resolution 1920 X 1200 .. I have used a Wide Screen and quite big resolution .. The benefit of creating big resolution wallpaper is that you can easily resize it for lower resolution..

Step 2 : Set the Foreground Colour to #199bed and Background Colour to #0f50f8 , or you can select any other colour .. But the Foreground colour should be lighter than that of background colour..

Step 3 : Select the Gradient Tool from Gimp tool menu and set these settings...

2.jpg

​
After that apply the gradient from Bottom Right to Top Left as shown in figure..

1.jpg

​
Step 4 : Create a new transparent layer and name it Upper Rectangle..and grab the Rectangle Select tool and create a similar looking Rectangle as shown..

3.jpg

​
Fill it with white colour, and create two more rectangle using same method.. The output should look like this..

4.jpg

​

Step 5 : Set the opacity of Upper Rectangle layer to 60 from the layer dialog box..Create a new layer and name it Left Circle.

Step 6 : Grab the Ellipse Select tool and create a small circle at the bottom left part of the image.. The output should look like this.

6.jpg

​
Step 7 : Now de-select it by pressing CTRL+SPACE+A and again create a big circle whose half part should be outside the image as shown . Try to sketch the circle in such a way that the small circle appears at the center with respect to the bigger curve..

Step 8 : Navigate to Dialogs - > Brushes and click on select bush named Circle 05 , you can vary the thickness of the curve according to your taste, after that set the Foreground colour to Solid White and navigate to Edit - > Stroke Selection and click on Stroke with paint tool and from the drop down list select Paintbrush and click Ok. make sure the Circle path is still selected..

Step 9: You will see that a curve now covers the small circle. Using similar Technique create another curve biiger than the one we just created..As shown : -

7.jpg

​
Step 9 : Now grab the Paint Brush ,white as its Foreground Colour, and fill the area b/w the 2 Curve that you just created ...That will give the 2 curve a look of single thick curve.

Step 10 : Create 2 more curve, bigger than the thick curve.. Now the left curve part is almost finish.. As you have stroked the path , the bottom gets stroked with white lines .. To remove this grab the Eraser Tool and carefully erase the white lines from the bottom and from b/w the curve.To erase the work Zoom the image to 100%. As shown :-

8.jpg

​
Step 11 : The curve you created doesn't look smooth , to give them the smooth looks grab the Blur/Sharpen tool and set it to provide Blur Effect.. Carefully apply Blur at the edges of the curve.. As shown : -

9.jpg

​
This will provide it a smoother look ...

Step 12 : Set the opacity to 60 . Create a new transparent layer and name it Middle Lines. Grab the Path Tool and create a Straight Line as shown : -

10.jpg

​
Step 13 : In the Brushes Dialog box select bush named Circle 05. Navigate to Edit -> Stroke Path and click on Stroke with paint tool and from the drop down list select Paintbrush and click Ok.
Similarly create a new Line but change the size of the brush to Circle 07.
Set the opacity to 80 .. The output should look like this..

11.jpg

​
Step 14 : Create a new Transparent layer and name it Bottom Right . Grab the Ellipse Selection tool and create a small Curve at the Bottom Right Corner of the Image. In the Brush Dialog box select the Brush named Circle 05 and navigate to Edit - > Stroke Selection and click on Stroke with paint tool and from the drop down list select Paintbrush and click Ok. make sure the Circle path is still selected.. A small curve will get strike.. Now make 2 more curve bigger than the preview one..The output should look like this..

12.jpg

​
Step 15 : Grab the Path tool and create a path as shown : -

13.jpg

​
Fill the path with Solid White.. After that repeat Step 10 and 11..Set the Opacity to 60.

14.jpg

​
Step 16 : We are almost done the only thing left if to create Circles .. To do that create a new Transparent layer and name it Circle..

Step 17 : Grab the Ellipse Select Tool and create a Circle as shown.. Fill it with white colour..

15.jpg

​
Step 18 : Now create a bigger curve than the circle .. Try to create the bigger curve in such a way that the small white circle appears to be at center. Now in the brush dialog box select Circle 07 and stoke it with White colour using Stroke Selection in Edit Menu..

Step 19 : Create a bigger curve the curve you create should be very close to the white curve that you created in Step 18. Now in the brush dialog box select Circle 09 and stoke it with #0f50f8 colour using Stroke Selection in Edit Menu..

17.jpg

​
Step 20 : Create several circles using same meathod and place it as shown .. After that repeat Step 10 and 11..Set the Opacity to 60.

18.jpg

​
Step 21 : Create a new layer and name it Arrow and using the path tool create an Arrow from the Center of the Circle at Bottom Left and stretch it to the Middle of the lines.. and stroke it with White Colour using Stroke Path under Edit Menu.

19.jpg

​

Its over now.. Add the text if you want.. There you go . You have created a Cool yet simple wallpaper using Gimp..So keep experimenting with Gimp and get better effects.....

Hope this tutorial helps you. For any queries do ask me..

Download the wallpaper/xcf file for reference : Cool Blue Wallpaper.zip

Keep the comments and suggestions coming ;)

Regards Shash.
 
Click to expand...
Back
Top